Russell: The war fuel crisis in Iran gives electric vehicles a boost for the long term.
The U.S. president Donald Trump is known for his support of fossil fuels. However, the war on Iran will likely result in an acceleration of energy transitions, particularly in Asia. Retail fuel prices have risen rapidly in the world's fastest-growing and most populous region since the U.S.-Israeli aerial campaign against Iran began on February 28. In Australia, for example, the cost of a litre?diesel has reached a record high of A$3 ($2.09)…
Russell: The war fuel crisis in Iran gives electric vehicles a boost for the long term.
The U.S. president Donald Trump is known for his support of fossil fuels. However, the legacy of war against the?Iran will likely be an acceleration in the energy transition. This is especially true in Asia. Retail fuel prices have risen rapidly since the U.S.-Israeli aerial campaign began on February 28, causing the world's fastest growing region to be hit by the fallout. In Australia, for example, the cost of a litre (about 1.9 liters) of diesel has reached a record high of A$3…
As global pressure increases, German Chancellor Merz travels to China in search of opportunities
The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is visiting China this week. He's the latest European leader to seek a reset of relations with Beijing following a year which exposed the fragility in their supply chains and the collapse of their alliance with the U.S. Merz is making his first trip to China as a?chancellor' and leads a delegation that includes some of Germany’s top business leaders. This includes the heads of carmakers Volkswagen BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
As global pressure increases, German Chancellor Merz travels to China in search of opportunities
The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is visiting China this week. He is the latest European leader to seek a reset of relations with Beijing following a year which exposed the 'crumbling' of their alliance with?the United States. The collapse of their alliance with the United States was exposed in a year that revealed vulnerabilities within their supply chains. Merz is leading a delegation that includes some of Germany's top business leaders. This includes the heads of Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
India's largest tax disputes involve foreign companies
In India, foreign companies have complained of tax uncertainty and long-running litigation over alleged duty evasion or levies payable in large M&A transactions. These are the most high-profile tax cases that have been reported in India. India's highest court will convene on January 15, 2019. Tiger Global is "subject to tax" on its $1.6 Billion sale of a stake (or 5%) in Indian ecommerce firm Flipkart in 2018 to Walmart.
China finds bigger role as US sidesteps Brazil climate summit
China has stepped into the spotlight as a leader of the global warming fight, with the United States missing the U.N.'s annual climate summit in New York for the first three decades. The country's pavilion dominates the entrance of the sprawling COP30 grounds in Brazil’s Amazonian city of Belem. Executives from its largest clean energy companies present their visions of a greener future in English to large audiences, while its diplomats work behind the scenes to facilitate constructive discussions.
The US pricing system for rare earths is set to challenge China’s dominance
Washington's plan to create an independent, higher-priced pricing system has stepped up U.S. efforts in breaking China's dominant position on the rare earths markets and driving investment into its own industry. Low prices in China have made it difficult for the West to compete with China in the rare earths market. The West has long demanded a different pricing system that would help miners compete to supply the…
Tax tussles between Indian and foreign companies
In India, foreign companies often face difficulties due to the high tax demands on large M&A deals or accusations by the government of duty evasion. This can lead to lengthy litigation. The following are the most important tax disputes that have occurred in the past and present involving foreign companies. In January, the South Korean giant Samsung Electronics was ordered to pay back taxes and penalties of $601 million for avoiding tariffs on imports of key telecom equipment.
Chinese giant CATL expands beyond batteries to power grids and EV platforms
Robin Zeng is the billionaire founder and CEO of CATL. He wants to transform the world's biggest battery manufacturer into a provider of green energy, as well as reduce the costs of developing electric cars, thus upending the economics that have driven the growth of the industry. Zeng said in an interview he expected the business of developing "zero-carbon" electric grids to be "ten times larger" than supplying batteries for electric vehicles, a sector CATL currently leads with 37% share.
Vestas Taps Car Battery Know-how for Wind Power Storage
The world's largest wind turbine maker Vestas is tapping into experience from the car battery industry to try to address the challenge of using erratic wind and solar energy to meet a growing share of power demand. Energy storage is becoming increasingly important as production of renewable energy rises, because the wind might not blow or the sun shine during the peak hours when most consumers turns on their lights and appliances.
Schaller Takes Over as Head of the Voith Group
As of April 1, 2018, Stephan Schaller has begun in his role as head of the Corporate Board of Management at Voith GmbH & Co. KGaA and will lead the international technology company. He succeeds the long-serving head of the Board, Dr. Hubert Lienhard, who, at the age of 67, is retiring as planned. Schaller has supported Voith since 2015 as a member of Voith’s Shareholders’ Committee. Schaller has many years of international experience in various sectors and industries outside Voith.
British VW Drivers Kick Off "dieselgate" in High Court
Lawyers for more than 50,000 British car owners kicked off a lawsuit against Volkswagen in London's High Court on Tuesday in a battle for compensation over a diesel emissions scandal that has engulfed Europe's largest carmaker since 2015. The three-day hearing will determine whether the claims can be managed collectively under a Group Litigation Order (GLO) and will set a deadline for claimants to sign up to what lawyers say could become the largest group action in British legal history.
Russia Ramps up Fuel Exports in Fight for European Market
Russia plans to sharply increase fuel exports and carve out a larger share of the European market following an extensive $55 billion modernisation of its refineries, companies' plans and analysts' reports show. Russia embarked on a modernisation of its biggest refineries in 2011 following a fuel shortage crisis. It also changed its tax system to favour production of cleaner and higher-quality fuel. The modernisation…
Sweden to Invest $18 million in Northvolt Battery Plant
Sweden will invest 146 million crowns ($18 million) in a multibillion-euro project to build Europe's biggest battery cell plant in the north of the country, its Energy Agency said on Monday. Swedish company Northvolt, whose CEO Peter Carlsson used to work for Tesla, is racing against rivals such as South Korea's LG Chem to set up large-scale battery cell plants across Europe, where automakers and industrial firms have so far been largely reliant on Asian imports.
More than Half of Norway Car Sales Now Electric, Hybrid
Norway tops global sales of electric cars as big subsidies have aided shift from fossil fuel cars. Sales of electric and hybrid cars exceeded half of new registrations in Norway in 2017, a record aided by generous subsidies that extended the Nordic nation's lead in a shift from fossil-fuel engines, data showed on Wednesday. Pure electric cars and hybrids, which have both battery power and a diesel or petrol motor…
Court Thwarts VW's Bid to Suspend Emissions Audit
Germany's highest court has rejected a bid by Volkswagen AG to suspend the work of a special auditor appointed to investigate management's actions in the "Dieselgate" emissions scandal. A three-judge panel did not give an opinion on the merits of the case, in which VW argues that the naming of the auditor by a lower court violated its fundamental rights, but did dismiss the firm's request for an injunction. "The…
London Ups Vehicle Emissions Tax
London brought in a new levy on the oldest and most polluting cars entering the city centre from Monday, almost doubling how much motorists have to pay in the latest blow to diesel. Drivers are already charged 11.50 pounds ($15) to enter the financial district and parts of west London under a congestion charge. But those driving petrol and diesel vehicles typically registered before 2006 will need to pay an additional 10 pounds.
VW Mulls Gas-powered cars with Exxon, Gazprom
Volkswagen is in talks with Exxon Mobil Corp and Gazprom to back its efforts to promote cars running on natural gas, Chief Executive Matthias Mueller told Austria's ORF radio. Europe's biggest carmaker is working on a shift towards electric cars and fuel-saving technologies as it looks to lower its fleet-wide carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and to overcome its diesel emissions scandal. "We are now really trying…
Refiners Prep for Low Sulfur Diesel Demand
Even if the diesel engine's scandal-driven fall from grace pushes it out of the world's passenger cars, an increasing need for it on ships, in trucks and heavy industry could save the refineries that invested heavily in producing the fuel. The unfolding crisis that kicked off when Volkswagen falsified U.S. car emissions has spurred a litany of changes at vehicle manufacturers, which are now putting their cash behind electric cars, or back to gasoline engines.
Diesel's De mise in Automobiles of Limited Concern to Refiners
Even if the diesel engine's scandal-driven fall from grace pushes it out of the world's passenger cars, an increasing need for it on ships, in trucks and heavy industry could save the refineries that invested heavily in producing the fuel. The unfolding crisis that kicked off when Volkswagen falsified U.S. car emissions has spurred a litany of changes at vehicle manufacturers, which are now putting their cash behind electric cars, or back to gasoline engines.